Brittany's Cartoon Corner
Mulan: The Review
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(You're Supposed to Crossdress to Get Out of the Army!)
By Brittany Rose
We're stepping slightly out of our normal area this month to review Disney's latest animated masterpiece, Mulan, from a TG perspective. The basic premise of the movie is that a young Chinese girl dresses as a male warrior and joins the army. What? Crossdressing in a Disney family movie? Surely they wouldn't do such a thing! Except of course for Baloo in Jungle Book. Oh, and then there was Timon in Lion King. And, oh, yes, a Donald Duck cartoon where Huey, (or was it Dewey, or maybe Louie) dressed as a fetching young thing at a gas station. And that doesn't even touch on the comic books, but we'll do those another time.
I want to warn you that I'll be giving away some of the plot in this review. So you might want to wait and read the review later if you haven't seen the movie.
Okay, so there's this girl and she's transgendered...
First, an overview of the movie. The day has come for Mulan to meet with the matchmaker to take her place in society by finding a suitable husband that will bring honor to her family. But she has already demonstrated that she does not fit the traditional mold, being outspoken and anything but demure. Calling her encounter with the matchmaker a disaster is putting it mildly.
Back home her father receives notice that he, being the only male member of the family, must report to the army to help fight off the invaders. However, he is crippled from a war wound, so, that night, Mulan cuts her hair, puts on his armor, and rides off to take his place. When the family ancestors (i.e. spirits) find out about the risk to the family honor, (if she's found out she'll be put to death), they send Mushu, the Eddie Murphy-voiced dragon, to bring her back. (That's not entirely accurate, but close enough.)
The story then follows her as she joins the army and they try to make a man out of her. There are some traditional gender identity crises scenes like those in Priscilla, but they are cute and entertaining. Then it's off to war where she is involved in the battle and her gender is discovered. Her life is spared, but she is disgraced. Of course, this is Disney, so she finds a way to redeem herself in exciting fashion as the movie ends and honor is restored.
As a Disney movie, Mulan has surprising depth, excellent humor, and a moving, powerful storyline. As for its success as a movie of interest to TG's, I'll focus on three parts - performers, crossdressing scenes, and songs.
We're looking for someone to play a rough soldier, how about a drag queen?
For performers, just a brief note is necessary. Mushu is voiced by Eddie Murphy, who of course, is such a good friend to the TG community. We all remember that when he was stopped by the police for having a transvestite prostitute in the car, he explained that he was just giving her a ride home. (Remember that next time you're dressed and out too late. Just call Eddie Murphy!). More significantly, Yao, one of the Chinese soldiers, is performed by Mr. Gravel-voice himself, Harvey Fierstein, the creator of Torch Song Trilogy. Ironically, he is one of the main singers for the soldier's song, "A Girl Worth Fighting For."
Costuming? We'll need a large bra. Yes, a 54 Double J will be fine.
Most significant, of course, is that the entire plot revolves around crossdressing in obvious and subtle ways. To begin with, the entire matchmaking scene is an experience in crossdressing. Although Mulan is only slightly tomboyish, it is very clear that her personality and temperament are in complete conflict with the porcelain doll that she is expected to become. The humor of the scene comes from how fragile that façade is, as her true persona breaks through.
I've already described the female-to-male transition at the heart of the movie, but I do want to point out that the scene where she makes the decision to go, cuts her hair, dons the armor, and rides off, is one of the most dramatic in the movie.
Finally, in a very appropriate turnabout at the end, Mulan's three army buddies disguise themselves as courtesans to distract the guards. Ugly courtesans, true, but it's played for laughs. They are found out when one accidentally drops an apple from his bosom. Then they all pull out their "breasts" to use as weapons. Ling takes out the other apple. The huge Chien Po has two watermelon, and Harvey Fierstien's Yao pulls out an orange and a banana(?). Interestingly throughout the final scenes, the three comic relief characters stay in drag, and Mulan is in feminine attire, but the hero/love interest remains purely masculine.
Let's try it in the key of B Natural
But perhaps the way the movie best speaks to TG's is in the songs. The first song describes the efforts of her mother, grandmother and others to turn her into the perfect bride.
This is what you give me to work with? Well, honey, I've seen worse
We're going to turn this sow's ear into a silk purse
We'll have you washed and dried, Primped and polished till you glow with pride
Trust me recipe for instant bride; You'll bring honor to us all.
Although most of us would love to be primped and polished, it's not for Mulan. After her disastrous interview with the matchmaker, she sings (from the pop version):
Look at me you may think you see who I really am, but you'll never know me
Every day it's as if I play a part
Now I see if I wear a mask I can fool the world but I cannot fool my heart
I am now in a world where I have to hide my heart and what I believe in
But somehow I will show the world what's inside my heart and be loved for who I am
Who is that girl I see staring straight back at me?
Why is my reflection someone I don't know?
Must I pretend that I'm someone else for all time?
When will my reflection show who I am inside?
There's a heart that must be free to fly that burns with a need to know the reason why
Why must we all conceal what we think, how we feel?
Must there be a secret me I'm forced to hide?
I won't pretend that I'm someone else for all time
When will my reflection show who I am inside?
When will my reflection show who I am inside?
Finally, in an unintentionally ironic song to his new trainees, and Mulan in particular, her commander vows:
Let's get down to business to defeat the Huns
Did they send me daughters when I asked for sons?
You're the saddest bunch I ever met
But you can bet before we're through
Mister, I'll make a man out of you
Characters that we can relate to, situations that we would love to be in, and songs that speak to our heart. What more could you ask for?
All pictures and lyrics are the sole property of Disney and are used for the purpose of this review only.
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